I wrote this for an online blog called I'll Write Your Life Story on a Postcard back in 2007. The blog doesn't exist anymore, however, here is the text about my sweet cat who just recently passed. She was definitely a trooper moving from place to place with grace and the willingness to follow me wherever I landed. My dry sense of humor doesn't quite do her justice, but her story needed to be told. She is surely missed....RIP my feisty one...
Lulu The Cat
Lulu arrived on a whim. Her brother Pierre was snatched away from his mother two days before. When Pierre left, she didn't seem to notice and didn't care.
In the new residence, Pierre appeared lonely as his eyes had a solemn glow. The new mother made a decision. It didn't take that long. After all, Lulu was just as fluffy and scruffy as her sibling. They belonged together and the new mother had no doubt that this was the right thing to do. When the new mother brought Lulu into the household, the two seemed to get along fine in the ground floor apartment with the balcony that faced the courtyard and a hot tub.
As the two settled in, they had their moments. Sometimes they got along, but most often Lulu ignored Pierre especially when the friend of the new mother put him on a skateboard and he skated away. She was not happy with this shift of attention, so she decided that all would be best served if she grew at a faster pace than Pierre. She out-ate her brother two to one and her fluffiness expanded rapidly.
The eating paid off. Lulu was pegged the “powderpuff princess” and she accepted her new stature as any French kitten would do. Pierre scoffed at Lulu's new status and began his retreat which would eventually end with him leaving the family.
Confirming her royal status, Lulu strutted around not wanting to be picked up. She only wanted to be stroked on demand, and for the longest time, she kept her distance, avoiding visitors that entered the flat.
Time went on and Lulu’s attitude began to change. As the new mother's belly got bigger, Lulu had a breakthrough. She started sleeping with the new mother, curling up beside her. This new behavior perplexed the new mother. She thought perhaps the catnip that she placed in lonely socks was finally paying off.
Lulu was growing up and their relationship grew stronger until the baby appeared and took Lulu's place in the bed. Lulu, once again, kept her distance, which saddened the new mother. The family coexisted in a workable way with the baby keeping Lulu at bay.
A few years went by and Pierre decided that the house was too crowded so he moved out. Lulu was fine with this as well as the new mother as her hands were full with a sprouting baby whose cat-like tendencies kept her on edge. Lulu had an influence.
More years went by and while the new mother was attending to the child, Lulu was dealing with a few new residents. Dante and Bullet moved in, but they were eventually snatched by the cycle of life. Lulu didn't have a problem with this either, as she liked being the main attraction.
Lulu had a deviant side. When no one was looking, she managed to catch and kill an entire family of groundhogs, including the big ones. Although French in demeanor, she had a few Thatcher-like tendencies.
A few more years later, a new kitten joined the family and the child, who was now school-aged, named it Ocean. Lulu kept her distance for a while but learned to co-habitat with her spunky younger sibling, who everyone swore was half-bunny.
Today Lulu remains the princess of the household, showing off with a dance or two at the door while the whole family beckons her to come inside. She once again cuddles with her mom, curling up on her lap while she works.
Sometimes Lulu even shows her affection to the child who is now a lot bigger than her. As far as Ocean goes, their relationship remains mixed. Sometimes love, sometimes anger, and sometimes indifference.
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(Addendum)
When Lulu reached 17, her adventurous spirit began to wind down, and in November of 2016, the cycle of life took her back to rest on the throne in the sky.
Hello again. Another song lyric from the 90s. Yes this is a dreary song...but the melody is nice, sort of melancholic.
